How to use ffmpeg? .MOD to .MPEG to ffmeg.

[CAH1]

Ok, I downloaded the program and got it working...I think. I read that (through searching the web) to take my .MOD files from my JVC camcorder and load them onto my Mac and then rename to .mpeg. From there I was to download the ffmpeg program to put my renamed files through, I would then be able to use them in Final Cut Express.
But I'm confused as to where the movie files are going after the ffmpeg converter converts. It shows that it is putting them on the desktop which is fine but after it 'dings' I can not locate my files. It says it has finished but the files are not there.
Any suggestions or a manual location would be great.
CAH1

[Case]

Please post the Process Information log, accessible by clicking the blue "i" in the ffmpegX Progress window, after a conversion attempt.

[CAH1]

Hi,
I just did it again and after the ding I clicked the i. It reads:
printf "Encoding started on "&&date&&/'usr/bin/mencoder/users/myname/desktop
Then below that it reads:
Encoding started on Mon Mar 16 time EST 2009

CAH

[Case]

If that is all, then perhaps the installation didn't go well, because the conversions seems to fail without proper error message.

Did you follow the installation guide as described on the ffmpegX website, including the separate binaries?

[CAH1]

Hi, yes, I think I followed all the directions. I had to download the older version then the newer one for 10.2.8. So hopefully I did it right. I loaded it twice since the first time it didn't work. I played around with it and was able to convert with other specs but none to go into Final Cut Express. I'm really bummed.
I'm going to try to upload another .mod clip and try to put it through without changing it to .mpeg first. Which is what I had done following the directions of someone else on the internet.
If I can't find a good way to get my .mod files to Final Cut then I'll have to learn a new video program so I can edit it on my PC...I really don't have time to learn a new one! Ugh!
Thanks.

[tomlee59]

The renaming trick often, but not always, works. The reason is that a .mod file isn't exactly an MPEG file (it contains mpeg, but other stuff, too), and the difference sometimes causes indigestion in other software. Maybe that's your only real problem. Here's something to try: See if MPEGstreamclip will create a "normal" mpeg out of your .mod. Nothing other than a simple file format conversion takes place, so this is a fast operation. Then take that mpeg and try ffmpegx on it.

You may not need the Apple MPEG2 component to do this; just give it a try and see if you get lucky.

[CAH1]

Regarding ffmpegX I have installed another clip, .mod, and changed it over to .mpeg and put it through the converter. I have attached the results. Basically, it looks like it does not understand the header?
Any thoughts? Thanks. CAH

macdoc.jpg

[CAH1]

I'm starting to pull my hair out.
While waiting for a reply on my ffmegX issue, I downloaded the mpeg streamclip and the Quicktime Alternative 1.81. No problem downloading and installing the mpegstreamclip but what do you do with the QT Alt? How do you install and use it? And is this suppose to take the place of the Apple MPEG2 playback component?
Thanks for any help.
CAH1

[Ai Haibara]

Last I checked, Quicktime Alternative is for Windows, only, so you likely wouldn't be able to do much with it. It came as a file with the .exe extension, right?

[tomlee59]

I'm starting to pull my hair out.
While waiting for a reply on my ffmegX issue, I downloaded the mpeg streamclip and the Quicktime Alternative 1.81. No problem downloading and installing the mpegstreamclip but what do you do with the QT Alt? How do you install and use it? And is this suppose to take the place of the Apple MPEG2 playback component?
Thanks for any help.
CAH1

To save your hair, spend a little time reading the documentation on Streamclip's website. As Ai Haibara notes, QT Alternative is a Windows-only tool. There is no comparable thing for the Mac.

If you follow my original advice, you might save yourself some (not all) frustration: First try Streamclip. By itself. Because it's free. See if it works. If it does, great -- you're done. If not, then you can decide whether or not purchasing Apple's MPEG2 component is worth it to you. But if Step 1 works, there's no need to worry about Step 2 just yet.

[Case]

Regarding ffmpegX I have installed another clip, .mod, and changed it over to .mpeg and put it through the converter.

The modules that make up ffmpegX can be picky about the filename suffix. For some reason, some operations on MPEG files work better if the suffix is .mpg rather than .mpeg . Not sure if this is the nature of your issue, but worth a try.

[tomlee59]

Oh -- great eye, Case! As you say, .mpg isn't the same as .mpeg.

[CAH1]

Thanks,
I thought of this too since I read somewhere someone had stated .mpg not the .mpeg that another site had stated. It still didn't work.
Now I have went to my next step of downloading streamclip and tried it, didn't work at converting the files. So then I paid the $20. and bought Quick Times MPEG2 and guess what? It give me a number 16 when I try to open the package to use it!!!
Ok, like I have said from the beginning, I am using Mac 10.2.8, my programs are up to date as much as they can be with this older version. My Quick Time is QT6 which I have read it should work.
I am searching trying to find out what the number 16 means when running through the installer on my computer to open the package for the QT MPEG2.
Thanks everyone.
CAH1

[tomlee59]

Streamclip has several options for export. Which one(s) did you try? All you should be asking Streamclip to do is to reformat a .mod file into a "normal" mpeg stream. If you ask Streamclip to transcode (i.e., to convert to something other than MPEG), that's when the MPEG2 component would be absolutely required. Generally, merely changing file formats should not require the component -- it's required for QT to be able to play the video (which is a necessity if you're going to convert it to some other codec type). For the .mod to .mpg conversion, QT does not need to play back the video, so without the component, you won't see anything other than the time-slider bar.

As far as "error 16" is concerned, that might be an indication that your version of QT is not compatible with that version of the Component, but I don't know (since I've never encountered that cryptic message). Did you check Apple's docs for compatibility?

Another option is perhaps to attempt to demux the .mod file directly into its elementary video and audio streams, and then to remux them as mpg. There is a chance that ffmpegx's demux and mux tools will work. If not, you might also try bbdemux or any of the demuxers in the MissingMPEGTools collection, and then mux with those or with ffmpegx. Those should all work under 10.2.x.

[CAH1]

Thanks TomLee59,
You see, I open up the Streamclip program and drag my file to the program and the only thing that happens is I see the time-slider bar, nothing else. There are no options either. Are you saying that that is what is suppose to happen???
I just went into images via the web to see screen shots of what I am suppose to see but can't.
I checked the requirements and QT6 can be used as well as OS X 10.2 and newer. So I should be fine.
Thanks for keeping with me on this. I really appreciate this.
CAH1

[CAH1]

I'm heading back to Apple. I need to find if there is an older version of QT MPEG2 that I can use. As you can remember I cannot open the QT MPEG2 because of error. I cannot get any clip into the program because nothing happens and I get a message saying I need QT MPEG2, I looked in the contents of the QT MPEG2 package and found that this version requires QT 7.6! I have Version 6.5 and cannot upgrade because of my 10.2.
I'll report when I find out more.
CAH1

[tomlee59]

Thanks TomLee59,
You see, I open up the Streamclip program and drag my file to the program and the only thing that happens is I see the time-slider bar, nothing else. There are no options either. Are you saying that that is what is suppose to happen???
I just went into images via the web to see screen shots of what I am suppose to see but can't.
I checked the requirements and QT6 can be used as well as OS X 10.2 and newer. So I should be fine.
Thanks for keeping with me on this. I really appreciate this.
CAH1

Without the MPEG2 component, you will not see any MPEG2 video, but the slider will be there. If all of the export options are grayed out in the menu, however, it means that Streamclip doesn't recognize the mod file at all. The MPEG2 component will likely not help in this case, and I'd recommend trying the demux/remux options mentioned earlier.

Hang in there!

[tomlee59]

I'm heading back to Apple. I need to find if there is an older version of QT MPEG2 that I can use. As you can remember I cannot open the QT MPEG2 because of error. I cannot get any clip into the program because nothing happens and I get a message saying I need QT MPEG2, I looked in the contents of the QT MPEG2 package and found that this version requires QT 7.6! I have Version 6.5 and cannot upgrade because of my 10.2.
I'll report when I find out more.
CAH1

That's what I suspected -- that "error 16" is Apple's equivalent of an extended middle finger.